Hernia truss



p 1950 c. H. RICE 2,521,309

HERNIA TRUSS Filed March 12, 1946 INVENTOR. C. /1./?1ce BY A A TTOR/VE )4 Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f 2,521,303 A v HER-N111 TRUSS I Charles H. Rice, Seattle, Wash. Application March 12, 1946, Serial No. 653,722

This invention relatesto certain new and use- A furtherobject of theinvention isto' provide a hernia truss of the foregoing character'vvherein the spring bar thereof that carries the hernia pads is' of generally-sinuous design in front elevation and with downwardly divergent end horns to which a buckled body strap is attached, the general design'of the spring bar and its end horns being such that by a pull'or strain on the belt the pads carried by the spring bar both move inwardly and upwardly into supporting position with the end horns being freely movable over 'thehip bones of the wearer without any tendency to binding or digging 'in' activities regardless of the posture assumed by the wearer.

It' is a still further-and particular object to provide a hernia truss so designed as to assure the pads being" held firmly in position solely by the pressure derived from the belt strap, thereby to obviate any need for the employment of r the leg-chafing bottom straps which, insofar as I am aware, have been heretofore considered a necessary adjunct of all hernia trusses.

' With the above and other objects in view that Will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the, novel form, combination, and arrangement of, parts hereinafter more fully described,

shown in the accompanying" drawing and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a hernia truss constructed in accordance with the present invention and in position on the body of the wearer, the latter being schematically illustrated, and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the complete hernia truss including the associated belt straps.

The hernia truss includes a spring bar designated in general by the reference character 5 and being of the general design illustrated and of sinuous characteristic includes an upwardly arched center portion 6 merging into downwardly arched adjacent portions 1 that continue in upwardly extending arm portions 8 that are curved downwardly at their outer ends at 9 to terminate in end horns [0 extending at 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-96) angles generally'obtuse to thearm portions 8 and in a slightly outward direction.

The hernia pads are ,of the usual type, the design thereof being governed by the requirements of the wearer and such pads being ad'- justably secured to the downwardly arched portions 1 of the spring bar include a metal body having the back or exposed side thereof covered with leather or the like as at H while the body engaging face orside thereof is padded and covered by a soft fabric l2 and secured to the back cover as by a line of stitching l3. The pads are adjustably secured to-the spring bar by means of screw and washer combinations it working through elongated slots [5 formed in the downwardly arched portions 7 of the spring barf i,

As illustratedthe end horns lll. are covered by a loop or sleeve [6 formed of leather or like material with the sleeves *secured to said horns by means of screws ll or other suitable fastening devices. A'belt is attached to the sleeves IS on the horns I0, one belt section I8 being se-' cured by stitching I9or the like to one sleeve being relatively long to extend completely around the back-of the wearer and to overlap at its free end a relatively'short belt section 20-secured as by stitching at 2l to the other sleeve 16. As illustrated in Figure 2, the free end of the belt section l8 has an attaching wire loop 22 adjustably attached thereto for engagement with a hook (not shown) on the outer side of the short beltsection 20. After the truss has been adjusted to'the body ofthe wearer, it is thereafter unnecessary to move the wire loop 2.2 over the belt section I 8, the truss being placed inpositioi on'the body of the wearer and removed when-desired merely by engaging or disengaging the wire loop from the hook on the short belt section 20.

From the above detailed description of the invention it is believed that the construction and use thereof will at once be apparent, the particular configuration of the spring bar 5 with its end horns l0 being such that when the horns are drawn back by a pull or tension on the belt, the pads automatically move inwardly and upwardly into proper body supporting position. Also, by the particular disposition of the end horns l0 relative to the spring bar 5, the covered horns move freely over the hip bones without discomfiture to the wearer, whether standing or bending over. With an initial adjustment of the [belt section l8 as to length, the truss is easily and quickly applied.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that the hernia truss requires no leg straps in order to hold position upon the wearer and maintain proper support for the affected areas of the body, the constant chafing which these bottom straps cause rendering the ordinary hernia truss so uncomfortable that many individuals suffering from hernia conditions refuse to wear the truss after a short period of use and consequently, through lack of support, irritate and enlarge many ruptures which might otherwise heal. The purpose of the leg'straps has per.- force been one of drawing the truss downwardly. Through the peculiar design of the present truss I am enabled to attain a, secure stabilizing of the hernia-support pads without these bottom straps.- One structural point of import responsible therefor is that the center portion 6 of my spring bar partakes of an upward curve between the two support pads, and the purpose thereof is to preclude the bar from. any liability of coming into contact with the upper anterior crest of the pubis bone, any such contact perforce tending to raise the spring bar as'the wearer bends his or her body. from the waist such, for example, as in sitting; A second structural point'ofimportance is the particular form and placement of the terminal horns- Ill.- It will be seenfrom an inspection of Fig. 2 that these horns, when the truss is being Worn, lie in sloping planes which might be considered the sides of a right triangular pyramid, and this I accomplish by giving the arm portions 8' a slight twist within their length. The result isto' cause the hernia pads to be given somewhat of; a compounded motion, a slight rockingaction together with an inward pressure, as the horns are drawn rearwardly; When the belt is applied about the waist with the side sections" of the belt crossing over the' hip area and lodging above the hip bones, the horn-investing ends of thebelt mustcant downwardly in a slight degree toward the horns, and the line of force transmitted to the horns pulls the pads inwardly and upwardly firmly against the rupture. It is important" that the ends of? the belt which carry the horn-investingsleeves be integrated withthe latter and insure movement of thehorns bodily with the belt ends, andias distinguished from any permitted pivotal motion.

While-there'is'herein shown anddescribed the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that-minor changes maybemade therein without departing from the:

spirit and'scope f the invention'asclaimed.

I'claim': 1. In a hernia truss of the character described, a spring bar of sinuous formation presenting an upwardly arched portion atthev center and in-,

verted pad-carrying arches at each side thereof with the end extremities of the bar being turned downwardly to describe terminal horns, a belt strarp attached to one of the horns, and a second and complementing belt strap attached by one end to the other horn and of a length normally substantially to overlap the free end of the firstnamed belt strap when in service, and an adjustable connection between the free ends of said belt straps.

2. In a hernia truss of the character described, a spring bar having an arcuate configuration whenviewed from above and, considered in front elevation, presenting an upwardly arched portion at the center-and downwardly arched portions at each side thereof and at the end extremities of the bar providin a respective horn extending downwardly and outwardly, hernia pads carried by the downwardly arched portions of said bar at substantially the low extremes thereof; and; a belt strap arranged:to-carry aboutthebacltandi the sides of the Wearerand connecting byrthe ends with saidrterminal hornsbf'thebar.

3. In a hernia truss of the character:descr;ibed,.

a spring barhaving an arcuate. configuration... when, viewed from above and; considered in-front elevation, presenting an upwardly arched portion at thecenter and downwardly'arched. portions at each side thereof and at the end extremities; of" the barproviding a respective, horn extending downwardly andf outwardly inplanes which describe the sides of a right. triangu1ar;-pyramid-,, hernia pads carried by the downwardlyarched portions of said bar at substantially the:low-ex:- tremes thereof, and a belt strap'arrangedto; carryabout the back and the sidesof' the wearerand; connecting by the; ends with said terminal horns of the bar.

4 The hernia truss of claim 3 in which'thew connection from the ends of the belt to the horns comprises, for each saidhor-n,,a sheathma-de an integralpart ofthebelt and closely investing-the: horn.

CHARLES H: RICE.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are off record in-the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES"PATENTS Number Name Date 6338- Hoodyn, Apr. 17-, 1849 2,180,332 WestphallNov.v 14,1939;-

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country. Date 598,906. France. l-.- Oct. 10,1925 

